Fawlty Towers actress Connie Booth's claim that the Camden New Journal obtained an interview through misrepresentation has been rejected by the newspaper watchdog.

She claimed she was interviewed about her role in a support group for single mums and her career as a psychotherapist - not an actress - and was upset when the article contained information and photos relating to her former acting career.

She said she had asked for photos not to be used, but four promotional photographs were used - and that the piece focused on her life and acting career rather than the support group she was backing.

She claimed the article headlined "Don't mention the classic comedy series" published in October, was inaccurate in breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) and contained material which had been obtained in breach of Clause 11 (Misrepresentation) of the Code.

Rejecting the complaint, the Commission ruled that the dispute was essentially one about copy approval, and not something that raised a breach of Clause 11 (Misrepresentation) of the previous Code.

The adjudication read: "The Commission was not in a position fully to establish the precise nature of any arrangement made between complainant and newspaper in advance of publication, although it was apparent from the article itself that the newspaper was aware that the complainant did not wish for the piece to include references to her previous career or photographs of her.

"The Commission, however, did not consider that what was essentially a dispute over copy approval for the subsequent content of the article could raise an issue under Clause 11, which is principally designed to prevent journalists from misrepresenting themselves in order covertly to obtain information that would not otherwise be available.

"The decision - whether taken before or after the interview - to include publicly available material about the complainant's former career was a matter of editorial discretion.

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